The government has increased the cocoa producer price by 21 per cent for the 2022/2023 cocoa season.
By this, a tonne of the commodity would now be sold at GH¢12,800 from GH¢10,560
per tonne.
This translates into GH¢800 per bag from the GH¢660 for the just-ended cocoa
farming season and takes effect from October 7, 2022.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, announcing the
new price in Accra yesterday said the Producer Price Review Committee
considered a range of factors before arriving at the new price.
The new pricing regime, he said, underscored government’s commitment to the
cocoa sector in particular and the agricultural sector in general.
“The 21 per cent rise in the producer price of cocoa is a testament of
government’s resolve to ensure farmers earn a decent income and make cocoa
farming ulcerative,” he said.
Government, Dr Akoto said, would continue to implement initiatives to build
robust, resilient and sustainable cocoa industry where cocoa farmers and their
communities would thrive.
According to Dr Akoto, the rates and fees for all stakeholders in the supply
chain have been also been approved.
“These include the buyer’s margin, haulier’s rate, warehousing and internal
marketing costs, as well as fees for disinfection, grading and sealing and
scale inspection.”
To enhance productivity, Dr Akoto said government would continue to support
farmers through the pests and disease control programme and rehabilitation of
diseased farms.
“Government will also assist cocoa farmers by making the requisite inputs such
as fertilisers available for farmers to buy to increase productivity,” he said.
Noting that the European Union would soon legislate regulations and due
diligence on deforestation and forest degradation, he said it placed enormous
responsibility on “us” to ensure that cocoa is sustainably produced in Ghana.
“Government has not relented in ensuring that cocoa produced in Ghana is free
from deforestation and child labour,” he assured adding that “COCOBOD is
developing the cocoa management system to enable Ghana to meet the EU due
diligence requirements.”
He disclosed that government would from November 2022 move from the pilot phase
to the implementation phase of the Cocoa Farmers’ Pension Scheme as part of
measures to enhance improved living standard of cocoa farmers in retirement.
He assured that the COCOBOD had made available funds and related logistics for
a smooth take-off of the 2022/2023 main crop season.
Source: Ghanaiantimes.com.gh